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Topic: Clutch basket advice on bullet 500 (Read 2876 times)

I have been on here with various topics before but wanted to start a new thread so as not too confuse anyone.

I am in the midst of finishing off an engine rebuild on a 2003 bullet 500 for a friend.. I have an issue with the clutch basket where upon refitting and tightening if it seems to could the casing behind it.The nut shows signs of abuse in the past as it's bowed out on the back side where it looks like an impact wrench may have been used before.

Am I correct in thinking that the basket sits on the raised splines at the case end of the shaft...it does look like there is a grove on the shaft where a circlipOr other may sit, however I did not see one when disassembling the clutch and cannot make one out in the diagram in the service manual.

I have the large circlip that holds the basket on the shaft...what i was wondering if there is a clip BEHIND the basket on the shaft that stops the basket sliding back too far and fouling the case with the back of the basket....looking at the diagrams there does not seem so.

The basket shows evidence of abuse, the lock nut being damaged and also the splines a little rounded off at the back of the basket where they are supposed to act as a stop to prevent the basket sliding too far back on the shaft.

does this make sense....? if so does that mean my basket may need replacing?

I believe the basket rests on a taper, friction fit. That is why it can be difficultto remove needing a puller. Also, when you re-assemble you may want to put anold socket over the shaft and give it a rap with a BFH to set it on the taper. If youdon't; the first time you pull the clutch handle after re-assembly and adjusting, youmay actually seat it on the taper with the clutch pull and then have to re-adjust again.ask me how I know.... - Mike

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'My dear you are ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly' - Winston Churchill

Ok so it would seem that if the basket is fouling on the case it is too far onto the shaft....my guess from the abused and looking at the basket splines someone had impact wrenched the basket on at some point and damaged the splines to the point they no longer stop where they are supposed too.

fouling on the case.... is it rubbing 360 degrees or just the top or bottom? What I'm wondering is if the inner case is properly seated which could cause the basket to rub at the top or bottom, most likely the top, if the bottom you would see it....

just thinking out loud, never overlook the obvious and start with the simple... - Mike

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'My dear you are ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly' - Winston Churchill

The main shaft looks good but the basket has some damage with the splines rounded off as if they have been forced back against the splines on the shaft....(impact wrench or over zealous tightening perhaps)?

there will be those who will tell you that you've got have the blue printed clutch,and aftermarket plates.... the Bullet clutch is only as good as it is adjusted andmany never even did the adjustment on the rh side. These things are just 1 notchbetter than a lawnmower, very low tech to the point that chain adjustment canaffect the way a bike shifts. I think of them like the old David Bradley walkingtractors,2 wheels, simple, and utilitarian.... - Mike

« Last Edit: February 02, 2013, 02:57:43 PM by baird4444 »

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'My dear you are ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly' - Winston Churchill

I took the primary case off again to have a look, I wanted to see if anything was preventing the case seating properly.

I thought I had found the cause as part of the gear shift linkage was rubbing on the case and when i tightened the foot-peg holder/gear linkage it cleared...however when i put the case back on there is still a little rocking in the case...when I tighten the 3 allen bolts around the main bearings that hold the case on it seems to kick the opposite end around the shaft out enough to foul the basket.

Also when i push the basket onto the shaft it spins fine, however when i tighten the basket center nut up it fouls on the case again..

has anyone seem a warped primary case like this before....I think the slight warping and the wear on the basket stop splines may be enough to make it foul.

what i do not want to do is purchase a new basket only to find the same problem.

are you putting the gasket in tween the 2 cases at the crankshaft locationwith the 3 allen screws? It wouldn't take much thickness there to allowthe case to set farther back and not foul the basket. - mike

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'My dear you are ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly' - Winston Churchill